Joint dysfunction is a fairly common problem in all age groups of the world’s population. Diseases that cause pain in the joints of the fingers are usually seen in people over forty years of age. Both women and men are prone to this type of pathology.
The bones and joints provide great mobility for our body during any movement and physical activity. The fingers of the upper limbs, thanks to the movable phalanges, are able to perform sufficiently clear and purposeful operations when doing delicate, thorough work. However, in 60% of cases, such activity leads to professional disability in old age. For example, watchmakers, jewelers, engravers, seamstresses are more likely to have problems with finger joints than other professions. Degenerative processes of the fingers can develop for a number of reasons, in addition to professional activity. The following factors are considered to be the most common:
- rheumatism;
- gout;
- osteoarthritis;
- arthrosis;
- circulatory disorders in the upper extremities;
- hand injuries.
If the joints swell and ache when the fingers are bent, the first symptoms of the disease should be examined and treated. This problem is quite difficult, long-term and not always successful, especially in a neglected form.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is considered an autoimmune disease characterized by damage to connective tissue, namely destructive and degenerative lesions of small joints. But rheumatoid arthritis is considered an extremely serious pathology because, in addition to damage to cartilage surfaces, it causes severe destructive changes in the tissues of the heart (pericarditis, myocarditis). The kidneys, endocrine glands, blood vessels, lungs and mucous membranes can also suffer. The disease occurs suddenly and has a very long course, with relieving symptoms and bright relapses. Disorders of the immune system lead to the immune cells perceiving the cells of the joint surfaces as foreign and starting to fight them. This leads to the destruction, deformation and immobility of the fingers.
The attack always falls on the small joints of the hands and fingers of the upper and lower limbs.
Symptoms
A patient diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis complains of joint pain when bending fingers. This symptom is one of the first to appear on both limbs. In addition, a number of subjective complaints are added:
- pain increases at night and in the early hours;
- there is stiffness in the movement of the fingers;
- It has a subfebrile temperature of 38 degrees;
- symptoms of general intoxication are manifested in the form of increased fatigue, loss of appetite, insomnia, weight loss;
- lumps form on the surface of the fingers, which are characteristic of the growth of the synovial membrane of the joint, which is most sensitive to degenerative processes.
The onset of such symptoms is reasonable for any sane person to seek immediate medical attention to stop the disease in a timely manner and to control any destructive manifestations.
Cause
Rheumatoid arthritis has an inherited predisposition, but there are factors that can trigger its occurrence.
Infectious diseases are considered to be such because the immune system fights the infection and it stays in the joints and bones of the body for a long time after the visible symptoms have disappeared. This fight causes the body to defend itself against the cells of the joints themselves. Hypothermia and stressful situations can create conditions where finger joints ache due to the development of rheumatoid arthritis.
Treatment
It is impossible to completely cure such a disease, but it seems entirely realistic to keep it under control and prevent its progression. Modern methods of therapy for rheumatoid arthritis are quite effective and allow resistance to remission periods of up to two years, which significantly improves the patient’s quality of life. Now doctors are using anti-inflammatory methods with steroid and non-steroidal drugs. They prescribe biologically active complexes of collagen and glucosamine-based drugs that nourish the joint surface and prevent death.
The most important innovation in the treatment of this pathology is the use of specific enzymes that suppress the activity of immune cells.
The joint hurts due to degenerative damage caused by the cells. Therefore, if such a drug is timely, with the necessary frequency to influence the cause of inflammation, then the situation will not get out of control. During the remission period, doctors recommend physiotherapy procedures for the fingers and hands.
Arthrosis
Arthrosis is a disease in which the cartilage layer between the joints is destroyed. This is due to circulatory disorders in the lower layer of the periosteum. As a result, the cartilage does not receive enough nutrients and begins to thin and crack. The volume of synovial fluid decreases or disappears completely. All of these factors lead to friction and inflammation. Small joints in the fingers, legs, and hands are less commonly affected than large ones. In general, older people suffer from age-related tissue and circulatory changes.
The risk increases significantly, by 30%, in postmenopausal women because hormonal changes cause dehydration, decreased cartilage elasticity, and dehydration of the joint surface.
Symptoms of finger arthrosis include:
- pain and stiffness;
- crackling when bending and stretching fingers;
- swelling of the skin at the joints of the fingers;
- the appearance of nodules and bumps in the form of growths;
- deformity of the affected toe;
- decreased sensitivity of the fingertip due to violation of innervation of the affected area.
In the case of finger joint pain, therapeutic methods involve complex measures. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and ointments based on anesthetics, menthol or novocaine help relieve inflammation and pain. Special preparations with biologically active effects are prescribed for the restoration and nourishment of the joint. However, your doctor will prescribe physiotherapy procedures. In severe cases, injections are given directly into the joint capsule. It is important to understand that in advanced cases, it is impossible to restore finger mobility and normal function. A timely visit to the doctor provides a good prognosis.
Gout
The other most common reason for the question of why the joints of the hands hurt is what experts call gout.
Gout is a metabolic disease, namely a violation of protein metabolism.
It leads to the deposition of large amounts of uric acid crystals in the joints and kidneys in the form of salts. The joints of the feet and hands are most commonly affected, especially the base of the thumb. The main symptoms of the disease are:
- very strong pain;
- violation of finger joint mobility;
- crunching when bending;
- hyperemia and swelling of the fingers.
The treatment of this pathology consists primarily of the complete rejection of protein and fatty foods, the restriction of table salt, and the organization of a diet with large amounts of fresh vegetables and fruits. The use of alcohol and any carbonated beverage in any form is strictly prohibited. The amount of fluid consumed should increase to at least three liters per day. In case of pain attacks, the affected finger should be kept at rest.
Anti-inflammatory analgesics are used. If they are not effective, doctors resort to hormone therapy in the form of corticosteroids. Drugs in this group quickly relieve inflammation and pain. Physiotherapy treatments in this case are advisable only during the remission period. It should be remembered that gout is hereditary, so with a burdened history, you need to follow a low-protein and low-fat diet and check your uric acid levels in your blood. Obesity is a prone condition for the development of this type of pathology.